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Welcome to England!
I am turning this newsletter over to Quentin and Robin; they are having such a wonderful time and can't wait to tell you all about it.
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Well, hello there!
We have had such adventures; let me think about where I even begin.
We had just arrived at Portsmouth; the crossing was lovely and calm, and the boat, although old, was comfortable with a nice little cabin for the two of us to share. At the docks, we were greeted by the purser who delivered a letter from Gertrude and Iris inviting us to Newstead Abbey!
We found a lovely little carriage heading in that direction, and after a slight detour in the village (it was hard to find the gate to the grounds), we finally arrived.
I can't even begin to describe the excitement at finding ourselves in this remarkable and cozy house, home to the renowned poet (and a personal favorite of mine) Lord Byron; the thought that he once lived here in all his romantic splender makes me swoon.
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Gertrude and Iris in the garden.
When we arrived, we were treated to a lovely meal before we retired to bed (I can't wait to show you the room). During supper, we discovered that my great grandparents once lived on the grounds in a little alleyway behind the stables that were used as a place to stack plant pots and other garden items out of view. Not a particularly auspicious location, but to think that they once lived nearby fills my head with all kinds of fabulous visions.
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This is where my ancestors lived; I am told they had a very nice nest behind the potting bench.
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Our hosts made up in a very comfortable basket in Byron's bedroom, next to the closet where a ghost of the black fryer is said to haunt. Once Robin heard about him, he didn't sleep a wink...but I slept like a lamb.
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Byron loved animals of every kind and shared his home with many fine creatures, both real and imagined. The mirror in his room has this charming carving of a rabbit in the right-hand corner.
I must confess that I spent some time mooning at my reflection in said mirror, dreaming that I too was a romantic poet and I'm half tempted get myself a cape.
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At breakfast, I was presented with this lovely little box to take home, and inside was a locket belonging to my great grandparents.
I will bring it home, and perhaps Jayne can display it in the store. Don't you think they look like a fine pair?
Well, I've waffled on for far too long and it's nearing time for refreshments. Robin has been dying to tell you all about the weather here, so I will pass this newsletter over to him.
Until next time, beaks up.
~Quentin.
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Hello,
Did you know that England is part of Great Brittain and is on an island surrounded by a very cold and salty sea? It's true, I saw it from the boat and even got to taste it when a little bit of water splashed onto my beak, I thought it was nice.
There are lots of clouds here every day...and at night too but you cant see them then because it's dark...unless you are a cat because cats can see at night. Some of the coluds are white and some of them are gray or even black, English people say "It's a bit black over Bill's mother's" when it looks stormy, I don't really understand what they mean, I havent met Bill and I don't know where his Mother lives.
Somes the the couds move very fast through the sky, that's because the wind is pushing them along. They seem to have been changing direction over the last day, they used to go sideways from east to west but now they are moving down from the north and it's getting colder.
There is a book in the library about the North Pole, I think it sounds like a cold but intersting place. There are big bears up there and they are white, I think they might eat a little bird like me. I would be easy to spot because I'm small but I am dark brown so I would show up on the snow, and they have good eyes, so I wont travel there...also it's cold.
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The library here has lots of nice books. I think I'm going to find one that's about a warm place, somewhere that the wind is going, maybe even Spain or Africa, but not so far that I can't get home in time for supper.
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Quentin took this picture of a pheasant in the garden next to the hedge. He looks like Vernon but older. You can see he has white feathers under his chin. I have white feathers under my chin, too, I wear a little dicky bow tie over them. It stops them from fluffing up.
Thank you for reading this
~Robin.
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I hope you enjoyed this letter from England, I'm sorry this post is a little late but the ether over the Atlantic has been acting up. We will be heading back home accoss the sea to our little island soon, we have all had such a lovely time.
Until we meet again take care and dont spare the treats!
Your friend
Jayne
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